The Georgian government has decided not to terminate the contract with the Turkish construction company Polat Yol, which is responsible for building the Grigoleti-Kobuleti highway, despite significant delays.
According to Infrastructure Minister Revaz Sokhadze, the company has been granted a one-month deadline to complete the remaining 3-kilometer section of the 14-kilometer highway, including the construction of a bridge over the Supsa River.
Polat Yol originally won the tender in 2018, signing a GEL 228 million (approximately EUR 77 million) contract with the government, with a 24-month completion deadline. However, construction has faced repeated delays. Out of the total project length, 11 kilometers have been opened, while 6 km in 2022 and more than 6 km in 2023, however the final section remains unfinished.
Earlier this year, reports emerged that the company had salary arrears to its employees. Minister Sokhadze said that Polat Yol has now paid part of these debts and is expected to finalize construction within the new timeframe.
“We had problems in the Grigoleti direction, both with the contractor and with hired personnel. The company has now paid part of its debts and will continue the work. It has about a month to complete this 3-kilometer section,”said Revaz Sokhadze.
Polat Yol, together with MAPA, also built the Batumi bypass road, another major infrastructure project that was completed four years behind schedule. The USD 330 million Batumi bypass was finally opened in October 2024, after a series of similar delays.
